WWE Gimmicks That FAILED The HARDEST Every Year (1985-2025)
38. Akeem ‘The African Dream’ (1988)
Jive. Soul. Bro.
That entrance track is really the biggest takeaway from One Man Gang's repackage job as Akeem. In 1988, his manager Slick told the world that Ganger was "going back to his African roots". It was preposterous and definitely wouldn't fly today, but the creative minds of the time believed this was the best use of an ex-motorbike thug.
It was also a send up of Dusty Rhodes as the 'American Dream'. Akeem and Slick claimed that he was the 'African Dream' as he danced and jived (with soul, bro) his way to the ring for matches. Early promos and vignettes starring Akeem and a bunch of extras said to hail from "deepest, darkest Africa" drew criticism for racism. Yes, even in 1988.
The WWF skirted a fine line between cartoonish silliness and poor taste with this character, and people knew that at the time. It was all so senseless too, because it was hardly like Akeem was going to be the next big thing at the top of the card. He probably had a much better chance of reaching that plateau long term as OMG.
Fittingly, 'OMG' was what some would've been saying when they clapped eyes on his outfit. Admittedly, Akeem did team with Big Boss Man against top stars like Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage, but fans had a hard time separating this over the top gimmick from his stripped down biker gang predecessor.
Slick's 'he's going back to his roots' claims were awkward, and the whole thing fell flat. The bloom was off the rose long before Akeem's late-1990 departure.